WHAT"Housing and Cities: Mastering New Challenges," the 6th annual Conference on Housing and Urban Policy sponsored by the University of California, Berkeley's Program on Housing and Urban Policy in honor of the late Don Terner, a Bay Area affordable housing pioneer.

Panels will address strategies that cities and other local governments are using to address housing needs, the future of Section 8 programs that could become "the next welfare reform," and evolving law and policy in fair housing and fair mortgage lending.

WHEN9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Friday, March 11

WHEREAndersen Auditorium at the Haas School of Business, located on Gayley Road across from Memorial Stadium.

A map showing the location of the Haas School is available at: http://www.berkeley.edu/map.

WHOSan Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will deliver the keynote address.

Other participants include Chris Edley, dean of UC Berkeley's School of Law (Boalt Hall) and a national leader in civil rights law; academics from across the country; Jean M. Ross, founding executive director of the California Budget Project; and representatives of such agencies as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Freddie Mac and local housing authorities.

DETAILSPre-registration is required. The fee is $75 per person. UC Berkeley faculty, students and staff will be admitted free. Reporters who want to attend need to e-mail their media affiliation and contact information to housing@haas.berkeley.edu. For more information, visit the program Web site at: http://urbanpolicy.berkeley.edu/2005conference.htm.